PearlPoint Nutrition Services℠ is offered by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for information purposes only. It is not intended to substitute for the advice of your healthcare team or provide medical diagnosis, treatment or therapy. Please seek the advice of your healthcare team before making any changes to your medical plan, diet or physical activity.

Eating Well

Eating well can help you feel better and stay stronger during and after cancer treatment. Patients who eat well and maintain a healthy body weight often tolerate treatment side effects better. And good nutrition also helps the body replace blood cells and tissues broken down by treatment.

A healthy lifestyle plays a key role in keeping the body strong, supporting the immune system (the cells and proteins that defend the body against infection) and reducing risk for some diseases, such as certain kinds of heart disease and some cancers. Most nutritionists agree that eating a variety of foods is the best method to ensure intake of all the nutrients the body requires.

A healthy diet for everyone, including cancer survivors, incudes:

Variety of fruits and vegetables

Whole grains

Fat free or low fat dairy

Low fat proteins such as poultry or lean meat

Healthy oils like olive oil

A healthy diet also limits saturated fats and trans fats (e.g. butter) to less than 10% of all calories consumed each day. Consume less than 10% of calories per day from added sugars. Consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium (salt) per day.

Drink water, tea and coffee to maintain hydration. Consider decaffeinated beverages if you experience diarrhea or reflux as caffeine can make these symptoms worse. Avoid sugary drinks such as soda.

Discuss drinking alcohol with your doctor. If you do drink, do so in moderation. Limit alcohol to 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men.

Good nutrition should be part of a healthy lifestyle that also includes:

Maintaining a healthy body weight

Drinking enough fluid

Exercise

Relaxing (managing stress)

Getting enough sleep (7-9 hours per night for adults)

Not using tobacco or abusing drugs or alcohol

Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. It can reduce anxiety, fatigue and improve heart function and mental well-being. Consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise program. Gradually increasing your exercise levels, through low risk activities like short daily walks, can be the best method to start an exercise program.

Foods cannot be used to treat cancer, but some things you eat or drink and some actions you avoid can make a difference in your health and how you feel.

Evaluating Nutrition and Supplement Information

Nutrition and cancer research is still in its early stages, therefore you may find it difficult to sort out dependable, science-based advice from misinformation and myth. Before you try any supplement or herb on your own, talk with your doctor about the risk of it interfering with your cancer treatment. For example:

St. John's wort, an herbal product used to treat depression, reduces the effectiveness of imatinib (Gleevec®), a drug used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Talk with your doctor about safe treatment options for depression.

Green tea supplements can interfere with the effectiveness of bortezomib (Velcade®).

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The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all monetary donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by tax laws. Please check with your financial advisor if you have more questions.